We will reach 8.4 million passengers in Sofia by the end of the year
Direct links with the USA will open new markets for the Bulgarian tourism product, facilitate business contacts, and enhance cultural exchange. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov during the national discussion "Tourism and Air Connectivity. Traditional Destinations and New Markets. The Key to Sustainable Growth."
Grozdan Karadzhov emphasized that the Bulgarian carrier GullivAir has already successfully passed the procedures with the American aviation authorities and is preparing to launch regular flights to New York and Chicago in April 2026. Negotiations for slots at "John F. Kennedy" and Chicago airports are in their final stages.
In parallel, air traffic in the country continues to grow. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, "Vasil Levski" Airport – Sofia handled over 6.28 million passengers and more than 51 thousand aircraft movements, which is a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 8.4 million by the end of the year.
"The growth in passengers in Sofia is a clear sign of the stable development of air transport. Varna and Burgas are also posting record results – over 1.5 million passengers in Varna and 1.8 million in Burgas. By the end of September, the two seaside airports had handled as many passengers as they did in the whole of 2024," noted Deputy Prime Minister Karadzhov.
Bulgaria's connectivity is also expanding through new routes and an increased presence of airlines. Plovdiv Airport is launching an international route to Milan this Sunday, and a connection to Bratislava is scheduled for November. New routes to Marrakech, Chisinau, Abu Dhabi, and several European cities complement the network.
"Wizz Air now operates with seven aircraft in Sofia and two in Varna, Ryanair and Jet2.com have expanded their activities on the Black Sea coast, and Bulgaria Air has restored key routes to Paris, Frankfurt, and Prague. This is a clear signal that Bulgaria is an attractive market for investment and tourism," the Deputy Prime Minister remarked.
The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva, representatives of the aviation and tourism sectors, diplomatic missions, and businesses. The event was organised by the National Tourism Board with the institutional support of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.